Hi! Im Eliz. I like to write and post things. I love life and sparkle. I drink Starbucks and sometimes pretend Im a princess. Oh and I have MS. NBD. (:
Im so over writing about MS things that I decided to go the therapeutic route and write “Things About Me, part 2”.
I feel somewhat better now. ♥
http://www.thesparkledlife.org/2013/05/things-about-me-part-2.html
Love, Eliz
Today had my second round of plasma exchange.
More info on the sparkled life blog: http://www.thesparkledlife.org/2013/05/plasmapheresis-fancy-blood-thing.html
Love, Eliz
It’s hard to go through friendship with a chronic disease.
How i’m learning…and surviving…
http://www.thesparkledlife.org/2013/05/what-im-learning-about-friendship-part-1.html
Much love sparklers, Eliz
Today’s silver lining as The Sparkled Life continues on in the MS Journey.
“Hope. I believe in such a little word SO hard and only can remain optimistic that it believes in me as well. I need it to.”
http://www.thesparkledlife.org/2013/04/the-severity-of-my-ms-is-helping-economy.html
Love, Eliz
I interrupt this sparkly journey for a moment of, conflict, perhaps, words.
Ive been known to be a little aggressive on subjects that matter to me. More so in my past than now. But sometimes that little spark flies again and I feel that I have no choice but to speak up…or rather type it out.
#mstrumpcard
I have MS. Currently, there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis.
There is not much known about MS, except for some variables that include Vitamin D, living above a certain line across the hemisphere, being female, etc. But even those variables dont have the answers as to why behind them.
So with all this unknown, my first warning when diagnosed was to never believe anyone who can say they can “cure” MS. It is incurable. I am sorry to burst the bubble.
Research is done daily and I know we are close. But there is no cure at this time.
Some items are known to help relieve the symptoms and the pain. Such as acupuncture. But even my acupuncturists, on first meeting her, probably one of the most natural people I have ever met, said that she can help me feel better but she could not cure me.
This is all said to lead up to the purpose of this writing portion: if one sends me a message or says that they have heard of a cure or know of a way to cure MS, etc, etc,… I find it degrading to the disease that I have to fight daily, I find it degrading to my being.
I will not deny that there are natural ways in which a person with MS can help relieve their symptoms (as mentioned above).
But anyone who claims they were healed of MS by a certain product is either pitching a good sales pitch or didnt have MS in the first place.
MS causes scars, lesions, on the nervous system. These scars cause disabilities. They cannot go away.
And when someone who has a serious case of MS, to present flashy statements in her face is a sure way to light a fire of disdain.
As I said, it degrades my fight.
How i WISH there was an easy answer. How I could eat some fancy shakes and use essential oils and be “healed”. But this is not the case. Yes, Im on medication that isnt exactly lovely. I dont like being a pill popper or infusion user. At all.
But its a quality of life issue. Without these medications, I wouldnt be able to function. I would get worse daily. And excuse me, not to be morbid, I’d be led to an even earlier death. So please, dont mind if I take a few pills so that I get a more full-filled life out of it.
It degrades not only my fight I fight daily, my fight to get out of bed, but also the fight of 1000’s of others who are fighting the same. The fight their families are fighting. The fight their doctors are fighting. The fight all the Multiple Sclerosis associations are fighting.
It degrades my work to create awareness, all those walks, all those bike paths, all of it.
Yes, live healthy. Live strong. But please respect my disease and my fight enough to not underestimate my daily battle.
And educate yourself. Know what you are preaching prior to sharing.
I know why people share this information; because no one wants to see the pain. An easy answer is a great solution.
But we arent there yet.
So instead, help me by believing in the powers that will lead to a cure: prayer, positive energy, MS Awareness, hope.
We will find a cure. It will most likely be a combination of all the efforts out there, natural, alternative and medical. And when that day comes, we will celebrate. We can exchange messages on what great a day it is.
In the meantime, please feel free to share articles of positive research, positive movements. I encourage it and appreciate it!! But no more “cure MS” please. Im so over it.
Respect my fight. Respect our fight. Help our fight. Please dont discourage it.
Love, E
Today marks the 1 year anniversary of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
It’s been, thus far, the longest, hardest, most painful yet most exciting year of my life. This is an affirmative.
I spent my 1 year day with my family, Starbucks, one of my best friends at one of our favorite restaurants for lunch, came home to a box of goldfish and Starbucks giftcards (thank you!), had a good cry and treated myself to a hot shower.
I havent had a “hot” shower in such a long time…the heat is bad for MS, this we know. My showers usually include a light warm water stream with a blast of cold at the end. The hot shower was quite a luxury today.
A year.
March 20th 2012 was a bad day. I had already lost feeling in my legs and I was very concerned. I decided that if I woke up the next morning and it was worse, I’d call the doctor.
March 21st was a Wednesday. Wednesdays were BD Meetings at our company. Since I was the BD Manager that meant arriving a little early, prepping the conference room and such.
That morning my alarm went off and I sat up to get out of bed. It was then that I realized it was worse. The loss of sensation was up to my abdomen. When I took a step to walk, I had to tell myself “move your leg”.
I had a morning full of meetings. I kept telling myself “get through them, efficiently, then call the doctor. You can do this.”
When my agenda finally caught to a breather, I called the doctor I had seen a few days earlier. I told her what was up and she said to go the ER.
So I went. As I’ve shared before, I sat in the parking lot of that hospital for about 30 minutes, just sitting. First, I was alone. I cant deny I wasnt scared. Second, I kept going over “what if this isnt just a virus? What if this is bad?”. Third, I didnt want to walk that far. (:
But I did. They got me right in, admitted and sent to a MRI. Worst MRI of my life. My legs were starting to contract and I couldnt hold still enough for them to get good pictures. It took forever and I remember there were some tears.
After the MRI, I returned to my room. I was asked a LOT of questions by various doctors for the next few hours. My head was spinning.
I thought they might let me go home. Shows how little hospital experience I had…admitted meant an overnight. My first hospital overnight.
It was 10:30pm and I was going to brush my teeth and wash my face prior to bed. When I came out, the nurse was there with a phone.
On the other end was the neurologist. He had looked over my MRI scans. He confirmed that I had multiple lesions (8-10) on my brain, neck and spine. We would run further tests but he was confident of the diagnosis.
I had Multiple Sclerosis.
As I hung up the phone, I was a little stunned. And very naive. So naive. We all were.
MS. We knew people with MS. They live just fine. They go on to have full careers, have families, live dreams.
These MS sparklers still suffer, I dont deny it.
But a year later, here I am. Stunned still that this is my life, so far from the MS life I had googled and confirmed I would have that night a year ago.
I’ve spent the past year “keeping my head up”, staying positive, living each day because “its gotta get better”.
And I’m stuck, because no matter what I do, what we do, what the doctors do, I’m still very sick. I hide it so well somedays. Today is not one of them. I’m tired of being sick. I’m tired of MS. I’m tired of doctors, of MRI’s, of needles, of medicine, of appointments, of not knowing how I’ll feel tomorrow. Im so tired. And we’re only through year 1.
With that said, I have much to be grateful for. As tired as I am, I can see the benefits that have come out of this year. And if I keep my eyes and heart focused on those benefits and blessings, than I can only imagine what the extra years will bring.
Hope. I dont really have any other choice. So I just keep repeating it and believing it. As hard as it gets. Hope.
Yes, I could spend every day crying over this experience. And I do cry at times. I believe it’s healthy to let tears fall; its an emotion.
But in the words of Adiana Lima with regards to crying (and limiting it), “my mascara is too expensive.”
So with that, year 1, you sucked. But you were good too.
Cheers to that. Cheers to moving forward. Cheers to friends, family and puppies. Goldfish, Starbucks and Champagne.
Cheers to you. THANK YOU. For helping me get through year one.
Much love, Eliz
PS: this song has been going through my head all day. And while it doesnt exactly apply, it does have some underlining connection. Rolling Stones-Wild Horses.
I feel like a cat sometimes. A cat with 9 lives. But instead of lives, it’s careers, chapters.
Before business, before technology, before higher education, there was politics.
I started my political career in 2003, when George W. Bush was running for re-election. I worked with various organizations on bringing the voting power to the swing state of Ohio. I had two high achievements that year: 1, putting together a public event for “Get out the Vote” tour with Sean Hannity and 2, receiving an official letter from the White House thanking me for my work.
Heading off to college, I didnt know exactly where I wanted to land in the political world, but I knew thats where I wanted to be. I began and completed my BA in Legal Studies, a pre-law program. During my three years of schooling, I participated in many political events on campus. Off campus I worked in 2006 for a Senator in CT and in 2007 I spent the summer in Iowa working with a Presidential candidate with regards to the Iowa Caucus.
(Presidential Candidate and I)
I was good at politics, if I may be allowed to brag. Though I didnt recognize it at the time, I treated politics as a business, campaigns as a project. Strategies were built around the principles and promises of the candidate, the products so to speak.
It was also during this time I learned how to gain that oh so lovely sales quality of trust. I could walk, door to door, passing information on our candidate, with a smile and a “You can trust me” handshake, winning votes.
Then one day I was sitting outside, watching the stars. Random that I remember this moment. And one day I will write further words around it. Now isnt the time to point fingers and name names. However it was during that moment that I realized I was doing it wrong.
I joined the political world because I wanted to make a difference. And I thought I was. But only for some.
For example, the candidate I worked for had a strong stance on the pro-life issue, of guarding the unborn. I believed in that. But while standing for the rights and for the love of the unborn, the candidate, and those on the campaign, myself included, were disrespecting the lives of the living. We would bash other campaigns. We would protest other events. We would play dirty politics.
To win. That was the end game.
And at that moment I realize that it wasnt my game anymore. I wanted to love everyone, regardless of born or alive. Regardless of democrat or republican.
Yes, we may disagree on issues. That is called democracy. That is called freedom. And why I have my own opinions on what government is doing right and/or wrong, Id rather discuss them than fight over them.
At the end of the day, I decided to just be an American. Red, white and blue.
I left the campaign three days later. Came back to school, pushed as hard as I could (including taking 22 credits in one semester) and graduated a year early.
And that is where I found business and higher education admission consulting.
But I still kept one foot in the political world. More on the consulting/volunteering side however. For three years I worked for CPAC, meeting just about every Republican and Tea Party person there was (including Ron Paul, my favorite).
(some of my favorite CPAC ladies)
I ran into (literally) a Sarah Palin and John McCain rally one time during a business trip. I was dressed in a suit and it was raining (my meetings for the day were done so I wasnt concerned). I walked in with the right crowd however for security thought I was “part of the Palin party” and escorted myself and two older women to the front. Granted, I could pass as Palin’s cousin. Back then. Her new additions to her face have changed that resemblance somewhat.
The same trip I took the back way out to beat the crowds (campaign crowds are always…interesting) and while doing so ran into John McCain. He is a lot shorter than he seemed on tv. It could’ve been the heels I was wearing that day as well.
I also spent 10 seconds of fame on Drudge Report back in the year 2008. I was working for CPAC and in our “contract” we were asked to exclude ourselves from any interviews. I was approached by a young, dishevled man who didnt ask for my name, just wanted to ask a question, with a little hand held camera. I told him sorry, but I cannot as I showed my badge. He said it was for a school project. Which I believed. His question “which candidate will you vote for?”. Since it was just for a school project, I decided to pull one of my ditzy reporter voice and moods and responded with an answer that went something like this: “Well….most likely Romney because his sons are like soooo adorable and cute. Their hair. Omg. Yes Romney.”
At the end of the day CPAC always holds parties. As I entered one of the ballrooms, some kid pointed at me and said “look, its the girl in the pink shirt from that video on drudge!”. I had worn a hot pink shirt that day. Points for me.
(Before the coffee am of the “oh so lovely drudge ditzy” video)
Eventually I retired too from CPAC world. This past election I didnt even raise a finger, mostly because I was pretty sick.
But it is CPAC week now again in DC. And I cant deny that I miss it a tad. It is glamorous. Great outfits, lovely shoes, meeting famous people, chick-fi-la for almost every meal, ending the nights with wine, making friends, discussing politics.
However, I dont miss leaving the political world. There are some people cut out for it. I was for a few years then retired early. Enough time to write a book about it while still getting out without any wounds.
Why this long story?
Because, while I feel I have lived “many lives”, or rather, have various chapters, I will say that I came back after the summer of 2007…different. Something had changed. My heart, yes. My dreams, yes. But also (and I am speculating), my health. If I had to pinpoint a time in which I felt a bodily change, it would be then.
Its all speculation. Doctors will never say when my MS “started”. It could’ve been years prior to that. But that summer had something to do with it. Maybe it was the “get out of politics” card I needed to prepare myself for the storm ahead. Who knows.
In the end, I feel that that summer did end one chapter and began anew. The one that led me to where I am today. Where I am today isnt exactly where I wanted/want to be.
But if I may be so bold….I feel as if I am a good person. I am surrounded by fabulous friends and family. I know what it takes to listen, to smile to strangers, to not judge. To suffer, to cry, to know that life is full of disappointments. And then to recognize at the end of the day, life is still precious.
We’re a week away from my 1 year MS anniversary. During this week I will be approaching two goals: 1, recapping the moments leading up to March 21st (more for my sake, for documentation for future reference) and 2, thanking those who have been along with me for the ride.
It’s been a hell of a week. It’s been a hell of a year. It’s been a hell of a life. And I’m only 26!
If I can only but learn and share one lesson it is that life goes on. It takes months, tears, bottles, shopping, starbucks…whatever your recipe is. But tomorrow’s will come. New chapters will begin.
And as I ask God tonight why in the hell I’m where I’m at today instead of where we, or at least I thought we, had planned upon, I hold on to that lesson. I hold on to the next chapter. Or rather, the continued chapter of…
the sparkled life.
Love, Eliz
I was so caught up in my love letters and brains vs beauty that I forgot to document an important moment.
As with all beginnings of months for 2013, an infusion (third round), found me once again at the downtown hospital.
I will say, the office does a great job on making it as comfortable and as “easy” as possible. No lines, no waiting. Very quite and efficient. Just the way I like business, so thus medicine as well.
(due to the reflection of my bright pink zip up, the drug looks pink. it is not. though that would be cool)
As stated prior, we will not know the true effects of tysabri for another few months or so. But I have noticed a significant development in the positive light with regards to my speech.
It comes and goes, much like the sun here in Pittsburgh. But I dare say this is the best it’s been since late May.
Now if only I could feel my feet again.
We have started some new medications as well to help with symptoms; one including the infamous fatigue.
Today was my first official day on said medicine and I will say, I accomplished quite a bit. And then I crashed. And realized I have more gray hairs than the last time I looked.
March is not only MS awareness month, my twin brothers birthday and St. Patricks Day but also completed with a lot of important swim meets for this household. Three of my brothers swim, one highschool, twins middle school, and they are doing lovely. I am so proud! I look forward to the years ahead of watching them grow in the sport.
So, infusion 3 complete. Does it hurt? No. The main effects are fatigue, headache, nauseous. Then there are the serious side effects which we just wont discuss. But overall, it beats the three times a week injections.
To fellow sparklers (taken from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem Ulysses, featured in the recent 007 Skyfall movie- highly recommend)
Though much is taken, much abides; and thoughWe are not now that strength which in old daysMoved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;One equal temper of heroic hearts,Made weak by time and fate, but strong in willTo strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Name that movie and I’ll send a $5 starbucks card :D
But for real…10 ways to help promote MS awareness for MS week, MS month.
Because every connection counts!!!
Love, Eliz
I’m home!
And its cold. I miss the 70-80 humidity free, sunny, ocean view weather. As well as the lovely community out there.
Though it was for a sad reason my trip was extended, it was very nice to spend quality time with some great people.
In the middle of last week, we took a little road trip up the mountains to Big Bear Lake, spending a few days in a beautiful cabin. The weather was gorgeous and we spent a while out by the lake. I even climbed down some rocks with the third leg. #proudmoment
(oh yes…this so happened)
The few days were just further proof that a little nature, less cell phone and some wine can really be therapeutic.
It’s lovely to be home and back in my pink room with my puppies and family. But it’s also back to reality. Reality of infusions, doctor visits, new medications, etc.
Its been a hard past few weeks. I keep reminiscing to a year ago. Looking back now, yes, I can see some signs of the disease starting to arise.
I was becoming more and more tired as the days went by. Any activity seemed like a strenuous adventure.
I figured it was just the end of the winter blues. Little did I know that a year later this would be the life I’d be living.
I actually came across a picture of my last official long regular bicycle ride from almost exactly a year ago. We had ridden out to the airport and back. On our way back we stopped at a restaurant for dinner and due to this, ended up riding the last 6 miles in darkness. I remembered now that if I had my leg in a certain position, it would shake/have tremors. An early sign of ataxia perhaps. Thought back then: exhaustion.
“They” say the first year is the hardest. However, I’m not sure how true that will be for the sparkled life. The past year has been an adrenal rush of discoveries and questions and hospitals.
Now that its all settled down, the second year looks to be filled with more realization of what this disease means for me and my life. And realizations are hard. Or so I’m discovering.
It also doesnt help that I still havent gone into remission and I have a little lesion growing on the left side of my cerebellum (news provided right before leaving for San Diego). However, my infusions do seem to be providing some help, especially with my speech recovery, which is a hopeful sign.
March is MS Awareness Month. It is also my 1 year anniversary month. We are having a party. (:
I ask you in joining me in helping with MS Sparkle Awareness. You never know how close we may be to a cure!!
I also ask you to remember this lesson: dont take anything for granted. You never know what tomorrow will bring. It could change your life. Be prepared by living with no regrets, leading with love and appreciating every gift provided.
Much love, Eliz
Meet Atom Willis.
A luxury men’s clothing line label.
With the mission of ending MS, on finding a cure.
My new best friends pretty much.
10% of their profits go towards MS awareness, MS research and MS hope.
Help them out by spreading the word!! Or by purchasing some pieces!!
It is fashion week after all!!
Much love sparklers, Eliz
Today met my second infusion date. It was much like the first except I knew what to expect this time.
Of course it took a few seconds to find a vein but the nurse is experienced and didnt poke around, fortunately.
For 6 months (6 infusions) I will be monitored. I tried to hint to the nurse that it was “possibly 3?” but no, its 6.
It does provide the perfect opportunity to catch up on my magazine reading.
(when did Dakota Fanning get so old?! Makes me feel old!!)
It takes about 6-12 months, from what I’ve been told, to see if the medicine is actually working. So of course we just hope that it does.
Going to the infusion center always disheartens me for there are so many other MS sparklers who are there for the same reason. Every month. They know the drill. It can be a difficult path to follow.
But, in the end, I was excited to receive the pink zebra bandages (side note: why dont ER’s use these instead of tape? So much less pain would be involved!)
So in summary: I survived another infusion, received more empowerment to sparkle, hope and create MS awareness and left fashionably with my favorite color and print.
Hope all of you are having a great day!
Much love, Eliz
let me paint you my thursday evening picture.
its 10:30pm. I’ve been lounging in my bed, in my little pink with zebra accent room, with sputnik curled at my feet.
In my hands is a cup of tea: acai berry and lemon ginger. To help with sleep and detox. A great mix.
The only light is coming from a candle that I “borrowed” from my mom. Its providing a great, candle-like glow.
For the past 20 minutes I’ve been staring at my computer screen. At a specific picture actually.
Not many thoughts are crossing through my head. I spend 20 minutes reading and re-reading those words. Trying to find hope in them. Trying to find the sparkle in them.
But, as you can see, it’s pretty black and white. The hope and the sparkle, after 20 minutes of “searching”, I realize has to come from me. And I’m not quite sure how.
Today was suppose to be an easy visit to the Neurologist office. And I’m sure compared to the many others that attended that office today, my experience was minimal.
I went with a list (I have a list for everything) of the 4 top items/questions that I had.
3 of the 4 were pretty straight forward. “Dont hold me to this number but this is the norm”, “Maybe” “Hopefully”, the usual answers. Nothing too shocking.
The 4th however was a little heart-breaking.
The symptom that led me to attend the ER March 21 2012, receive my first MRI and cause me to be diagnosed with MS, was numbness/tingling in my feet and legs. Its as if your foot fell asleep but never wakes up. You go to stand and you cant feel your feet. Walking becomes extremely difficult.
Over the course of the past few weeks, these symptoms had come back after an 8 month hiatus. I wake up in the morning and hop (ok slug) out of bed and it’s like “wooh, feet, time to wake up loves!!”
I had gone a few weeks just figuring it was the weather (I mean, it is freezing outside!!). But today decided to mention it, figuring it would be confirmed as “just a short come back, no need for worry”.
Instead, it is believe it might actually be another (ANOTHER) active lesion, a flare up. Which means another ride in the “white donut” aka MRI. If it comes back active then steps will be made to help bring the activity down. I made it very clear that steroids and I are not friends so we will go a different route.
Yet again, another visit that all answers lead to the all over-bearing MRI results.
Yet again, another possibility of an active lesion.
Yet again, another possibility of nothing being able to help provide any relief.
Yet again, me trying to find that hope and sparkle to get me through.
I have to remind myself of how far I’ve come. My stubbornness pays off so well.
Hear my speech compared to 6 months ago and you’ll be amazed. I’m down to one crutch for short distances (though I still fall once in a while. I find it funny). My fine motor skills are continuing to grow; 7 months ago I couldnt raise a fork to my mouth. Tonight I waxed my own eyebrows. A risk perhaps but I am glad to report that I still have two (nicely shaped) eyebrows.
But today’s adventure shows the true course of Multiple Sclerosis. You dont know. Your body is like a ticking clock and you are just not sure what might go next. And there’s no stopping that clock.
I want to yell FUDGE you MS. I am so frustrated. I can do all that I can but really, my life and this disease are not in my control.
So I stare at a black and white picture with words that I hold on to as my hope, as my sparkle. I have to trust that there will be a cure or some new research with answers. I have to trust that God wouldnt bring me to a mountain I couldnt climb. I have to trust that I am surrounded by people that love me, no matter what. I have to trust in myself, that I am strong enough to make the black and white sparkle.
I have to remember that while MS might have control over my nervous system, I have control over how I react to the situations. And though I may have a bad day or seem lost, I must keep my head up.
After all, my princess crown will fall. (:
Love and sweet dreams, Eliz
2013 was to start off right away with my new medicine, Tysabri.
However, as is common in winter months, I came down with a terrible cold.
Due to this, infusion date was pushed back a week. And thus week was spent in bed, relaxing, spending time with the family, cuddling with the puppy.
Side note: having a cold as a MS sparkler is extremely challenging. I do not encourage it.
Eventually infusion day came. I was extremely nervous. I’m not exactly sure why. Perhaps a mixture of the fact that there are serious side effects, its a new medicine, its an infusion, nothing else has worked thus far, etc, etc.
The day began with a mom and me Starbucks and to the infusion center we went. They had really comfortable chairs, the nurse was able to get the IV first try (it must of had something to do with the amount of goldfish I ate the day before) and away we went.
The infusion takes about an hour. It doesnt hurt (or taste bad like those lovable steroid IV’s). After the infusion they kept me there for a while to monitor for any immediate side effects. Fortunately, there were none and I was let out early on good behavior.
I will have an infusion every 28 days. I will be closely monitored for 6 months and then tapper off as time goes on. It’s a scary drug yes but so far I feel positiveness from it in my veins (though I’m sure this is more in my head as it is too soon to know if the drug is working).
While at the infusion center, I made an observation. I will expand on this observation more at a later date as I plan on taking action due to it.
The observation was this:
Tysabri is a serious drug. It is for people who have tried other disease management drugs with no success. It’s not the last resort but its pretty up there.
During my infusion time, there were about 7 other people receiving their infusions as well. It was like an infusion mill. As soon as a chair was open, another person was in it getting hooked up. There was even a short waiting period due to lack of chairs for a while.
Granted, this is a special office/infusion center. There was a couple who had driven 3 hours to attend. So not everyone was from my neighborhood so to speak.
But what all these things added up to is that there are a lot of people, like me, though maybe their disease may be more invisible, who have severe cases of MS.
And yet, where is the research? Where is the cure? Where is even the answer as to WHY people get MS in the first place?
In 1868, Dr. Jean Martin Charcot wrote the first complete description of MS, categorizing, describing and documenting the disease. However, it is believed that MS like symptoms have been around since the 1400’s.
That’s 145 years of, yes, research. But not enough, in my opinion.
My observation only validates what I have known all along- there needs to be more awareness and research done in the subject of Multiple Sclerosis.
The other day, I was with a friend sitting outside a Starbucks. As we sat watching the people walk by, I made a very sincere, hold back tears comment: “I miss walking”. I watch movies or tv and marvel that characters can just get up and walk, run.
I cannot. And that is ok. Im learning to put together a new life that allows for a third leg (dance parties even included).
But to not be able to walk and not know the reason as to why is challenging.
Which is why one of my other New Years Resolutions (in addition to being crafty) is to do what I can, even if its just rambling on a a blog, to create as much awareness as possible.
When I was little and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would proudly say “The President!”. Ive chosen to leave those political days behind.
But maybe I can take what I learned and become the “Ms Sparkler Advocate” when I grow up.
I think its a good plan.
Regardless, if anything can be learned, its this: appreciate every day, for it all can change overnight. Focus on what has not been lost. Keep your sense of humor.
And remember: the sun always rises on a new day. Make it a good one.
Love, Eliz
PS: My best friend Kate, who is from Boston but actually lives in Argentina, is visiting for a week starting tomorrow!! We attended undergrad together and basically were each others must have bff go-to. We havent seen each other for a year so we are highly looking forward to it!
Vacationing in Cape Cod
A random country concert
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous party. Lindsey Lohan and J-Lo. We were so cool.
Often times, pictures can speak louder than words.
Plus, I really just love pictures.
In an attempt to sum up the year 2012, I put together an album of the highlights (good and bad) of this past year.
It can be found at : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.659448289630.2075899.144900133&type=1&l=45d6a29b83
Hope you and yours had a fabulous New Years!!
Love, Eliz
